


Third Floor Hero

by TheNerdVoice



Series: Cole Wolfe [2]
Category: Holby City
Genre: F/F, F/M, Grandparents & Grandchildren, Mothers and Daughters, soft Bernie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:46:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26342092
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNerdVoice/pseuds/TheNerdVoice
Summary: Going onto her first morning talk show after the release of her book, Charlotte encounters more than she bargained for. Bernie helps Serena understand her coping mechanisms might actually be doing more harm than good.
Relationships: Charlotte Dunn & Bernie Wolfe, Charlotte Dunn/Original Male Character(s), Serena Campbell & Charlotte Dunn, Serena Campbell/Bernie Wolfe
Series: Cole Wolfe [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1465558
Comments: 6
Kudos: 20
Collections: to be continued... (Berena Summer Sequel Event)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Few months after the events of the first story in this series. It will be numbered accordingly, but...it's obviously written after the fact. LOL.
> 
> I loved this challenge. I had thoughts of writing something like this anyway, but this just gave me reason to.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte does Morning television to promote her book.
> 
> Bernie and Serena tend to their grandchildren in their daughter's absence.

“Good morning, we’re here with Charlotte Wolfe, author of new book ‘ _ I was an Angel Once’ _ about her time in the Juniper Street attacks.” The peppy, middle-aged morning talk show host holds up Charlotte’s book to the camera before placing it on the coffee table in front of her to turn more toward her guest. She continues addressing the audience, “We’re often given advance copies of books when the authors come in to promote them, like what’s happening right now, and sometimes I read them, most times I skim through them.” She finally looks to Charlotte, “I-I couldn’t put your book down. It was  _ that _ amazing.”

“Thank you very much.” Char nods, the bright lights overhead make her nearly want to squint her eyes, but she decides against it. At least it helps shield her vision of the audience. “I honestly didn’t think I’d ever finish writing it...or even start, really.”

“I’d assume an event such as the attacks would be incredibly...traumatic. Are you able to take us back to that day?” The morning show host has a look of concern and inquisitiveness on her face, “what was going through your mind? I mean, you were just in this traumatic event, pregnant with twins, and you were very injured. Also, you had a couple of family members with you. It’s a miracle you didn’t die right there.”

“I don’t believe in miracles. It was just stupid luck, I suppose.” Charlotte swallows, but keeps her wits about her. She’s spoken about this so many times already to journalists over the phone, but never on the morning show circuit. This is her first stop. “I guess...” She pauses, looking for an answer, “my therapist says it’s a type of dissociation, what happened during my time there. That I had to separate myself from worrying about myself and giving into my injuries because I knew there were way more people that were far worse off than I was.”

“People call you the Angel of Juniper Street. Does that title make you uncomfortable?”

“Little bit.” Char flashes a smile with a soft blush, “I didn’t even coin it, it was some man who I had helped. He gave a...interview outside the hospital where I was being treated, apparently. Then other people started to come forward calling me the same thing.” Char shrugs a little, “Actually, I wouldn’t say uncomfortable, I’d say undeserving.” She anxiously, absently begins rubbing her thumb against the smaller knuckles of her hand. “The real angels were the ones running into the burning, structurally compromised building while everyone else was running out. I’m flattered, but...no. I’m far from an angel.”

“You never went to medical school, you mention just a simple first aid lesson when you were a girl.” The host smiles a bit, “how do you justify what you did? Tourniquets and life saving measures.”

“Apples don’t fall far from the tree, I suppose. My mother is a trauma surgeon and previously served in the RAMC, my step-mother is a vascular surgeon, my father is an orthopedic surgeon.” Char garners a chuckle from the audience and the host alike, “even my brother is training to be a surgeon. I’m the only one who didn’t go into the medical field.” Char pauses, “I think, with incidents such as Juniper Street, one’s brain just kind of kicks in and lets you do whatever is necessary for the situation at hand.”

“On that scale though?”

“On any scale. You get a paper cut on your hand, you know that might need a plaster at most. You accidentally slice your hand open, and you know it might take more than some ointment and a wrapped bandage. It’s instincts that we already have and it isn’t something...we can just assume will be there when the time is needed. It’s weird.” Charlotte is growing more and more comfortable with her surroundings, “Like, I couldn’t imagine even what happened that day. Only reason I know, for sure, what I did was because I was getting mail from people that I apparently saved who had found my address. There was a web forum, it was a whole thing.”

The host nods slowly through the younger woman’s words, “and now you’re here.” When the young woman blushes, the host continues, “and you just had twins a few months ago. Congratulations! You look fantastic.”

“Thank you.” Char nods before continuing, “They’re great. My eldest is incredibly...interested in everything that’s going on with them. He always has to be involved. Now I have three boys on my hands under the age of two.”

“That must be stressful.”

“It’s exhausting, but I wouldn’t change my boys for anything.” Charlotte grins proudly, “they’re at home with my mothers currently. My husband Ryan is here, waiting in the wings.” She pauses, nodding toward where the man is standing next to a camera, “that’s another one, I  _ married _ a surgeon as well.” Another laugh from the audience.

“And he’s quite handsome.” The host smiles, noticing the proud look on the man’s face. Her attention turns back to Charlotte, “Will you be sticking with us for the audience Q and A for the website?”

“Don’t see why that would be a problem.”

“Great.” The host turns back toward the audience and camera, “pick up Charlotte Wolfe’s new book,  _ I was an Angel Once, _ available everywhere books are sold. Be sure to check out Charlotte’s audience Q and A on our website after the show airs.” She nods, “next up, how a group of pensioners are changing the face of cosmetics as we know it. Stay tuned.” When the staff around call that the camera has been cut, the host leans over, “thank you so much for coming in today. I’ve been wanting to meet you for quite a while.”

“Oh, well, the pleasure is all mine, I assure you. I’ve watched you on telly for years.” Charlotte takes the woman’s hand as it’s offered to shake. “Do you stay through the question and answer-”

“No, god no. I need a drink.”

Char snorts, watching the woman wander away. Another staffer tells her the time limit she has and that she can stay there on the sofa. “No, it’s okay. I can’t really see anyone from here.” She stands, being cautious of her microphone pack as she walks closer to the small studio audience. “Ry, can you text Mum and let her know everything went well?”

“Which one?” Ryan smirks, moving to her. He gives her a quick, chaste kiss. “You did great, by the way.”

“Thanks.” Charlotte nods, standing just in front of the audience, “either one is fine.”

Serena grins as she receives a text message from her son-in-law. “Ryan said she just finished her interview and everything went swimmingly.” She nudges her wife, who is still snoozing against her. Not fully asleep, but not quite awake either. Serena was left unable to really sleep out of the sheer excitement of it all. “Your daughter is about to make her television debut and you’re sleeping.”

“They’re on a two hour delay, Campbell.” Bernie mumbles, an arm around her wife’s waist with her cheek pressed up against the woman’s upper arm, her eyes still closed, “and all of the children are asleep. After last night, we need to let ourselves rest.”

“Oh, they were fine.” Serena scowls playfully toward her wife, “you loved every second of it.” When her wife doesn’t answer, she sets her mobile on the nightstand. “As did I.” She slides down into bed a bit more, allowing herself to hold onto Bernie just as much. “Haven’t watched over them in a few weeks, so it was nice to get back to it.”

“Not so nice when one has to work in the morning.”

“You don’t. Ric is covering.” Serena smiles softly to herself.

“I meant when we were staying over there to help.” Bernie clarifies, nuzzing her face closer to her wife. She gives her a tender, half groggy kiss. “When I served, we’d be up at zero-fourhundred or zero-sixhundred and I’d be completely fine, but now...I’ve grown used to eight. I don’t know how Char was able to wake so early and able to function...probably helped that we had the twins.”

“I’d say so.” Serena closes her eyes again, “six or seven is usually the time I wake anyway.”

“I know. The bed grows cold in your absence.” 

“So dramatic.” She leans in, capturing her wife’s lips again before feeling gentle scratching at her back that definitely wasn’t her wife’s hand. Serena jumps up suddenly only to hear her grandson belly laughing from the side of the bed. One of her leopard print silk shirts in his hand and a pacifier in his mouth. “Cole!”

“Now who is dramatic.” Bernie amusingly mumbles, reaching over to pull the boy onto the bed with them. “Good morning, cub.” She smiles to herself when the boy cuddles up against her, as he usually does. “Did you sleep well?”

“I’d say he isn’t quite finished.” Serena looks over to them before slowly climbing out of bed, “I should check on the twins.”

“They’re fine. Monitor is on, isn’t it?” Bernie watches her wife, “come get a bit of a hold before I make us all some breakfast and we watch Charlotte on telly.” She looks down to her grandson, “are you excited about Mum being on telly this morning?” Bernie remembers seeing her daughter in tears over writing various sections of the book, all while balancing an expensive laptop on her large tummy. When her grandson nods groggily, she places a kiss against his soft hair. “Me too.”

“You wanted to sleep!” Serena’s eyes widened, teasing Bernie a bit, eliciting solid belly laughs from her grandson. “She did, Cole. Wanted to sleep right through it.”

“The recorder is set. I would have watched it sooner or later if I had missed it.” Bernie smirks, watching as her wife spreads kisses across Cole’s face, causing him to laugh harder. “Or to watch again after watching it the first time. This isn’t my first disco, darling.”

“Who else do you know that was on morning telly?” She pauses, “it’s often on at hospital, so many people are going to see it. Many people that know us.” Serena smirks a little, “and we get the opportunity to gush a bit.”

“So this is about social standing with you...”

“No!” Serena answers with slight disgust, “no, of course not.” She pauses, “but I do like it when good things happen to our family...since it’s so seldom the case.”

“I’ll give you that one.” Bernie nods, “we’re soon going to just have our own wing of the hospital.” She can feel the pride radiating off of her wife, “have you read it yet?”

Serena shakes her head negatively, “no...but I plan to. Just haven’t had the moment to as of yet.” She bites the corner of her wife, knowing there might be things about her stepdaughter’s life that she doesn’t want to know. Especially if she goes into detail about her time with her ex-partner or even her childhood. “You seem worried.”

“Not worried.” Bernie shakes her head, gently running her nails through her grandson’s hair, absently. “I just...” She pauses, “if she’s honest in the book, it isn’t going to paint me in a very good light and...I suppose I’ve prepared myself for that.” Bernie tilts her head to the side, “there are things we aren’t meant to know about the lives our children lead without us.” Pausing again, Bernie glances up to meet her wife’s gaze, “going into that, reading her book, it almost seems like an invasion of privacy.”

Nodding slowly, Serena understands fully. There were many things about Elinor’s life that she’s glad she never knew, but much she wishes she did as well. “It centers on the attacks...and I don’t think I’m ready for that just yet. Maybe in the future, but I’m not prepared for the moment.”

“So, while I’m incredibly proud of everything Char has accomplished with regards to this book, and her response to the actions that occurred to put her on this path, I don’t know if I’m prepared for people at work to know more about my own daughter than I do.” Bernie answers quietly.

“I understand.” Serena leans over, pressing a soft kiss on her wife’s lips. “I’m going to check the twins even though you don’t want me to and I’ll be back, hopefully.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Bernie watches her wife finally leave the confines of their bedroom, turning her attention to her grandson again, only to realize he’s fallen back asleep against her. She smiles softly to herself, “


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte is disappointed in her husband's decisions.
> 
> Serena grows angry with her son-in-law.

“You and I both know that it was an isolated incident.” Ryan sighs softly as they sit in the back of the car, sent by her publishers anytime she was to attend an interview or book-signing. He swallows, looking over to her as she stares out the window. “He obviously was deranged and-”

“Doesn’t matter. I don’t want to do them anymore.” Charlotte replies quietly, legs folded over one another. One of her nude pumps dangles from her foot. “I would have spoken to him...asked him why he felt the way he did.”

“He threw a book at you and a ball of pigs’ blood.” Ryan shakes his head, “at least I hope it’s pigs’ blood.”

“He said I have the blood of hundreds on my hands, Ryan.” She had already been having a difficult time knowing there were people she could have helped, but was just unable to due to her own physical limitations. “If they’re home interviews or phone interviews...or even ones where they come to my bloody house, those are fine. I don’t want to go to a studio with people that haven’t been vetted and-”

“Charlotte, you’re overreacting.”

“You aren’t the one covered in blood with a bruised knot forming on their head.”

“Okay.” Ryan nods slowly, letting the space between them calm down before he speaks again, “I want you to think of the others that were in that audience though. The ones that were in tears. The ones that you hugged. The ones that were excited just to have a selfie with you. The ones that shared their stories with you about themselves or family members being in the attacks and how much it meant to them that you were sharing your story so that they have some closure in knowing that life goes on.”

“It’s a lie.” Charlotte responds softly, “it doesn’t just go on, Ry. It haunts and festers. It follows and puts one on edge.” A near wicked smirk begins to form on her face, “I never know if I go to the grocer that I won’t see something in a newspaper about it...or people coming up to me to have a chat as if they know me because they’ve seen a news broadcast about my story on the telly.” She sighs softly, “that’s why I started using a grocery delivery service. I just...couldn’t do it anymore.”

“I thought it just made it easier with the twins.” Ryan leans his head back in the seat, “that’s what you told me before.”

“I mean, that too, but my parents would help watch over them when I’d go so it wasn’t that big of a deal. I just felt like you’d...freak if you knew I’d have panic attacks every time I went to buy fresh meats for dinner.” Char sighs softly, “win-win all around.” Her hands are gently folded over her lap, her face stays relatively neutral despite the splattered blood coming up her neck.

“I wouldn’t freak about that. I know you’ve come a long way.” He glances to her, still leaning his head back. Ryan reaches a hand over, gently taking her hand. “And I’m incredibly proud of you, Ms. Wolfe.”

Char takes his hand, gently rubbing her thumb over his knuckles. “I’m worried about what the video of the Q and A will show...” She licks her lips, “if my parents watch it...” She huffs ruefully to herself, “they’re going to go ballistic.”

“Well, hopefully they won’t watch it.” Ryan raises an eyebrow, watching her amused nod. Of course they’d watch it and would probably be barging into their house right after. “When we get home, I’ll run you a bath, throw one of those...fizzing things in it that you like, and get you a glass of wine.” He pauses, “I reckon you need it.”

“You could say that again.”

Ryan grins, “then I need to cut out. I told them I’d be late for my shift, but...I can’t be too late.”

“You could have easily just taken off for today.” Charlotte bites her lip, “I think people would have understood.”

“Why do that when I can go and talk about how amazing my wife is?” He offers, “I gave most of my staff your book. I have a stack in my office for whoever wants one.”

“You haven’t.” Char turns her head to face him, “Ryan there are things in that book that you definitely don’t want your staff to know about. Not about me, or you.”

“Charlotte, your book is wildly successful. If there were things in it that you didn’t want people to know, you probably should have thought about that beforehand.” Ryan smirks a little, amused by her distraught look over such a seemingly trivial issue, “I’m betting it isn’t nearly as bad as you believe it is.” He shakes his head, “what are you worried about, in particular?”

“How my mother wasn’t around, how I lost my virginity-”

“Your mother was a part of the RAMC and you have three children, I reckon people probably know both of those things already.”

Char sighs, “our first time together and how it wasn’t that great, but you managed to get me pregnant.” She sees his shrug, “how you weren’t around much during my pregnancy with the twins because of your position at hospital and I spent most of my time with my parents.”

Ryan nods slowly, knowing it’s the truth, “I could have done better by you then.” He looks over to her, “but it isn’t anything to...worry over. It’s the truth.  _ Can’t ignore it and cover it in paint, it’s our history. _ Isn’t that what you usually say?”

“About other things though, not this.”

“I honestly don’t feel betrayed or anything like that, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“You should feel that way though. I’m worried that you don’t.” Char nods, glad when they finally pull up to their house. The driver gets out and moves around to her door to let her out. She smiles and thanks him before making her way up toward the house only to see the door of her parents’ house open excitedly.

“You aren’t even going to make here your first stop back?” Serena calls out, a grin on her face. The young woman’s sleeveless, wisteria colored tea length dress stained with a large dark spot, something not unfamiliar. “Charlotte?”

“I’ll be over after I change.” Charlotte offers her stepmother a non-committed half smile. She doesn’t wait for a response before she continues on her way into the house.

Ryan watches the exchange, sighing softly as the woman starts walking toward the house. “Serena just...give her a bit.” He stands in front of her to stop her path, “please, Director.” When the woman gives him a look, signalling that he’d better start explaining, he nods. “Interview went well, but...a question and answer session after did not. Some guy...went after her, I guess you could say.”

“For what?” Serena’s eyes go wide and she seems genuinely appalled.

He shrugs, shaking his head. “Something about the attacks...I wasn’t paying much attention. I don’t know if they’ll upload the Q and A as they wanted to, but...I wouldn’t ask her much about it.”

“Ryan, word of advice. Never stop me from seeing my daughter, do you understand?” If her eyes could show a flame within them, they would. “I don’t care if you’re married or not.” She pauses, “and given the way you treated her during her pregnancy with the twins...I wouldn’t push my luck with me if I were you.” Serena meets his eyes again before stepping around him, going into the home he shares with his wife.

Ryan exhales slowly, not realizing he had been holding his breath. He nods to himself, knowing he deserves the full fury of the Medical Director. He decides to leave his house alone, instead going over to see the children before he needs to leave for work.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlotte calls out her stepmother's behavior.
> 
> Bernie is casual with her support of her daughter.

Serena slowly ascends the stairs of her daughter’s home after coming to the conclusion that she wasn’t on the ground floor. She remains relatively quiet, hearing some Edith Piaf coming from the young woman’s master bedroom. This home was nearly identical to her own home, with exception to the bath just off the bedroom, creating an ensuite. Though, with three children, it’s probably best there’s a seperate bath. As she moves closer to the room, she sees each of her step-daughter’s nude pumps kicked off, one after the other, a trail. The dress discarded, then the shapewear the young woman unnecessarily wore underneath, as well as undergarments. “Okay.” Serena mutters to herself.

“You promised you’d run me a bath...with a bath bomb.”

Serena lifts a head, realizing her stepdaughter was in the walk-in closet. She decides not to move any further. “I can if you need me to.”

Charlotte rolls her eyes, loosely tying a shortened white and floral silk robe around her nude form. It leaves little to the imagination, but awards her some modesty. Not that she actually cares one way or the other. “Where’s Ryan?”

“Gobsmacked in the front garden, I’d imagine.”

Licking her lips, she looks to her stepmother, “I told you that I’d come and see you after I changed.”

“You did.” Serena nods, “however, it appeared you had blood on you and...it still appears that way.” She motions to her own neck, signifying where splatters of blood still reside on the young woman. “So I came to investigate-”

“Without telling Mum what you saw, you gained tunnel vision and raced over.” Charlotte purses her lips, raising her eyebrows, unamused. “My husband is just as much a doctor as you or Mum. If I were injured, he’d tend to me. I’m fine. It’s not my blood, but I do feel sorry for the poor sow it once coursed through.” She sighs softly, “why would he be  _ gobsmacked in the front garden _ ?”

Serena exhales slowly, “he tried to stop me from checking in on you.”

“Do you think it was probably because he promised to run me a hot bath after going through a slightly stressful time...so that I could be round yours when things aired?” Charlotte begins to smirk.

“Charlotte.”

“I know you’re still holding a grudge.” She nods slowly, “a part of me does as well, but...he’s really, truly trying. He’s also attempting to ensure the ship doesn’t rock at Holby’s Otter. I need to respect his attempt of trying to be both a father and raise himself through the ranks of the hospital...just as he’s respected my writing career.”

Serena watches her step-daughter, only able to think of the nights where the young woman couldn’t sleep or how Charlotte would phone him, just to hear his voice, but he’d tell her that he was too busy...and just stay in her room crying. “Maybe one day I might be able to, but that day isn’t today. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Charlotte nods, reaching a hand out and placing it on her step-mother’s upper arm. Though she had only met the woman four years ago, and allowed herself to be taken in by this woman nearly three years ago, they’ve grown incredibly close. After a moment of standing there like that, Charlotte moves closer, cautiously wrapping her arms around the other woman in an embrace. “Just a bump on the head. Nothing more.”

She swallows, returning the hug after a moment. Serena just holds the young woman closely. “I am so, so proud of you, Charlotte. I-I-I don’t know if I’ve said that to you yet.”

“I’m assuming you mean about the book.” Not that Char expects the other woman to respond, “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

“You worked so hard and...I know there were many topics you weren’t entirely comfortable with, but you managed.” Serena continues, speaking into her step-daughter’s ear, thinking about her own daughter and what she would have been capable of, but never had the opportunity to accomplish. Seeing her stepdaughter accomplish some of those things has always brought a smile to her face.

Charlotte swallows, just holding the woman, because it seems that’s what she needs. She begins to think if there’s anything else going on, remembering the date when the morning talk show host said it. Char pulls back looking at the woman’s face, “it’s been a year.” She doesn’t need a response, truly understanding, “it’s been a year since Juniper.”

Serena nods a little, “yes.”

“Shit.” She shakes her head, “I didn’t realize.”

“I thought you would. I thought that’s why this particular time was chosen for the book release.” Serena stares into the younger woman’s deep brown eyes, “I thought  _ you _ chose it.”

“No, I didn’t.” Charlotte shakes her head a little, moving away from the other woman. She looks away, “a year...” Closing her eyes a moment, she can hear the screams, feel the fire rising up the back of her neck. Charlotte quickly brings a hand to her neck, it’s something she has continually battled since that day. She takes a moment, lowering her hand, then looks back up to Serena, “We’re still here.”

“We are.” Serena nods, watching her closely. After a minute passes where the two of them are very obviously uncomfortable, not necessarily with one another, but with the situation at hand. “I can run you a bath...since Ryan was supposed to and I stopped him.”

“No, I’m just...I’m just going to clean myself up and get changed.” Char pauses, “I know Ryan has to head to work, but I’m not sure how soon that is, so I’d like to...see him off.”

“He didn’t take off for your-”

“Stop.” Charlotte sighs, “I just want a coffee...I can make us breakfast-”

“Your mother was on that.” Serena smirks when the young woman appears surprised, “she’s quite good at it, actually. However, I’ve kind of...run off and left her with two infants and an inquisitive toddler while she’s attempting it.” She exhales, beginning to move back toward the doorway. 

“Be there in a few.” Char watches as her stepmother leaves, even hearing the entry door close on the floor below. She makes quick work of changing into a pair of form fitting jeans and a short sleeved, vertically striped, button down blouse, easier to feed the twins when she needs to.

Quickly she makes her way over to see her parents’ house, met at the door by her eldest son when the boy runs to fling himself at her. Charlotte grins, “hello, my sweet boy.” She leans down, lifting him up into her arms as she walks toward the kitchen, able to smell the food cooking. She expects to see her husband sitting there, “Ry using the toilet?”

“No, he said he had to go to work.” Bernie answers, unaware of the conversation that was just had between Serena and Charlotte. She notices the smile fall from her daughter’s face as she absently peels a potato, “based on the time, he should probably be home early tonight though.”

“That isn’t always the case.” Char gives a rueful smile, letting Cole down as she moves to the fridge to obtain the bag of frozen peas that her parents would always keep there for bumps and bruises. Charlotte steps back over to where she was as she watches Cole move around the kitchen absently, her mind going to thoughts of her husband and every excuse he’d give for needing to leave. He was there for the twins on his days off, but otherwise didn’t give them much time. The occasional hold or cuddle, the occasional rough and tumble with Cole. “Would you...” She lifts her line of sight between her parents, “would you mind if I...” She pauses, “and feel free to deny me, but would you mind if I stayed over for a bit?” Charlotte licks her lips, “I know I...moved my things to the other house months ago and-”

“Of course you can.” Bernie starts to smile, able to feel the excitement of her wife growing next to her. “Though you're only next door, your presence is missed around here in a big way.”

“Two of you should talk about it, shouldn’t you?” Charlotte raises an eyebrow, moving over to the breakfast table, the twins sitting in their lounging bouncers, content. 

“Don’t need to when we both feel the same way.” Serena responds, placing her hand in the middle of her wife’s back, rubbing a little between the shoulder blades. Her voice softens a tad, “And have since you left.”

A smile begins to form on Charlotte’s face. She missed living here as well. Though her own home was set up in such a way that it expressed all her love with interior design and the needs of her children, it wasn’t  _ home _ to her just yet. A part of her always thought she rushed herself into marriage and living with the man she rightfully loves, but...she just wasn’t ready. After realizing she had been staring at her twins, Charlotte perks up a bit, gazing to the clock on the wall. “If the pair of you want to see my five minute interview, you’d better head to the lounge.”

“I’m recording it. We’ll watch after breakfast.” Bernie nods, “rather have breakfast together, undisturbed, honestly. No offence, darling.”

Char shakes her head a little, standing to better look toward her mother again. It’s at that point where she realizes that her presence is what matters most to her parents, not just her talents or the children, it’s having her there as a whole. “None taken.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Serena doesn't realize her coping mechanisms might be discouraging to her wife.
> 
> Bernie reminds her wife of her devotion.

“It was like watching ballet...that interview.” Bernie smirks, glancing over to her wife, “and even the question and answer session after. They included her attack, but...then there were the bits of the people in the audience. I highly doubt Char knew those would be there.”

“Probably not.” Serena comfortably lays against her wife, arm draped lazily around the blonde’s waist. “But it doesn’t really matter at the moment because we have everyone home for a change.” She pauses, “not us staying over there and feeling uncomfortable...and pretending everything is fine because it isn’t for her.” She swallows, “she deserves a husband who will give-”

“This again.”

“Yes!” Serena doesn’t move from her spot though, only tilting her head back to get a better look at her wife. “We were both married to men, Berenice. Both of our marriages ended the same way.”

“Sure, they both had the same book jackets, but the pages were different.” Bernie shakes her head, “really, they’re not comparable.” She thinks for a moment, slowly inhaling and exhaling before speaking again. “Her story is just as different as ours were.” She absently runs her nails through the back of her partner’s hair, “if there’s one thing I am, Campbell, it’s an excellent judge of character.”

“Not to toot your own horn.”

“Ryan Anand means well. He wants to tend to his family and be supportive, but he also wants to further his career. We were both at that point once. Not wanting to step on any toes.”

“True, but sometimes, one must crack a few eggs to make an omelette.” Serena moves her head forward again, resting it against Bernie’s chest, absently listening to the woman’s heartbeat. “He needs to piss a few people off in order to truly move ahead and the one he definitely doesn’t want to piss off is-”

“The Medical Director.” The corner of Bernie’s mouth turns up in a smirk.

“And he already has.” Serena licks her lips, pausing for a moment before continuing, “I was going to say the people at home though. His children, his wife.”

“He’s angered none of those people.” Bernie shakes her head slowly, “you’re overreacting.” She cleansing her head forward, placing a soft, awkward kiss to the top of her wife’s head, “because you’re worried. It’s okay. I am too, but we need to allow her to guide her own ship.”

“But what if the ship crashes and we had the opportunity to stop it from setting sail in the first place?”

“We’ll collect the pieces...put them back together as best we can.” Bernie lifts the remote to the television with her free hand, rewinding the video to watch the interview again. She isn’t sure how many times she’s watched it so far, pride radiating off of her. “She’s happy. Very happy. Even if we don’t think she should be in her situation, she is.”

“Yeah.” Serena swallows, still not liking the idea. “It’s...it’s been a year.”

“I know.”

“I think I’m having a hard time with it.”

“I think you are too.” Bernie replies quietly, “but it’s okay. You’re here...with me...as you worked very hard to be.” 

“I did.” Serena smiles to herself.

“Point A of a year ago and Point B of today...is an incredible journey.” Bernie plays the video again, someone had clipped together the interview and the question session after together so they could be watched back to back. “A journey...that many people didn’t get to make. A journey that...nearly caused my girls, and grandsons, to become a statistic.”

“Yeah.” She whispers this time, lifting her head. She tenderly kisses the corner of her wife’s mouth before Bernie turns her head to face her, letting Serena render a better kiss. Her eyes dampened, her hands snake up to touch either side of her wife’s face. “Thank you...for not giving up on us...on me.”

“Never. That would never, ever happen.” Bernie deepens the kiss between she and her wife, moaning softly. Her hands come to rest on either side of Serena’s hips after a moment. She pauses, pulling her head back to look into her wife’s eyes. “I truly bloody love you, Campbell. You know that?”

Serena nods absently, tears threatening to escape her eyes. “I love you too.”

“I don’t want you to...to feel like you need to do this.” Bernie had learned her wife’s habits, especially when she pushed herself to have sex in order to numb her own pain. “Especially on today of all days...because I know it’s bothering you. I’d much rather just hold onto you, but if you truly-”

“I’m sorry.” Serena bites her lip, rolling off of her wife. “I thought  _ time heals all wounds _ and all that...at least with this.”

“It’s only been a year, darling. You can’t rush things when you’re still healing...not so much physically, but emotionally and mentally.” Bernie says aloud, looking toward the ceiling, but it’s obvious that she’s speaking to the woman next to her. She sighs softly, finally turning to her side. Bernie wraps a tight arm around Serena, “we always have amazing sex, but we cannot begin to use it as a coping mechanism when we’re upset.” She pauses, “I spent the majority of my life doing that and I won’t perpetuate the behavior with you...because you mean far more to me than any of those other people did.”

After a moment, Serena finally leans into her wife’s embrace, “You’re right...I’m sorry.” She says again, far softer this time.

“You’ve nothing to be sorry about.” Bernie keeps her voice quiet. “Old habits die hard.” She pauses, “they did for me at least.” She pulls her bottom lip into her mouth. “I know you’re hurt. I understand. Just...let me be present for you without instantly resorting to mind numbing sex.” There were some days since the incident that Bernie felt as if Serena was holding back her emotions with her. It had taken time to help her realize that Serena was trying to hold herself back with  _ all _ emotion and not just with sharing feelings with her. “This isn’t new behavior for you...I’m used to it, but...why keep doing it when it obviously doesn’t work?”

Serena had never truly realized her own behavior, or that it would affect her wife. She swallows, “I don’t want to seem as if I’m using you. That’s the very last thing I’d want.” Serena shakes her head a little, “I had just never realized how much I was...holding myself back with this.”

“You never gave yourself the opportunity to think of it...unless you’re with your therapist, but I don’t know what you talk about there...don’t know if I want to know.” She teases lightly, noticing Serena's soft smile forming, “doesn’t change anything. You...you just need to accept things. Let yourself feel things.”

“You’re one to talk.”

Laughing a little to herself, Bernie grins more, “I already said it’s something I’m working on... _ actively _ working on.” She pauses, “I think I’ve made strides in the right direction.”

“You have.” Serena nods, “it’s my turn, you’re right.”

“I usually am.”

“And humble.” Serena chortles to herself, then settles for a moment before speaking again, “I’ve...” She takes a deep breath. “I’ve never been in a relationship where...the other person attempted to better themselves for me. They were always just...expecting  _ me _ to be something that I wasn’t, or...expecting  _ me _ to accept things that I couldn’t. Like cheating on me or...thinking Jason was a burden.” Serena exhales slowly, “you never once did any of that. You just wanted me to be happy. I think that says a lot about you, Berenice.”

“Or you...willing to stand up for the things you no longer find acceptable.” Bernie blinks slowly, “and this is one of those things. We’re married. We have the rest of our lives to better ourselves and one another.” She snuggles a bit closer to the other woman, “and you’ve come a very long way, Serena Wolfe. Whether it be about this or...all the other things you’ve encountered in the past few years.”

“That name still feels odd to hear.”

“Feels just as odd to say.” They sink into laughter, Bernie to her uncontrollable honking laugh.

“You’re going to wake the house.” It causes Serena to giggle even harder, “Charlotte will have our heads if we wake the twins.”

“Just our heads?” Bernie tries to calm herself, but it’s doing neither of them any favors. They stay this way for a good few minutes. Seeing the cracked bedroom door slowly open, Bernie raises an eyebrow, hearing the shuffling footsteps move over to her side of the bed. She pulls away from her wife, “Cub, you should be asleep.”

Cole rubs his cheek with Serena’s silk, leopard print shirt, pacifier in his mouth. He tilts his head to the side, reaching for his Gran to pull him up into their bed.

Bernie obliges, pulling him up to rest between her and her wife. “We probably woke him.”

“ _ You. _ You woke him.” Serena smirks, still amused, “doesn’t matter, that’s why he came around to your side. He knew you’d give into him.” She isn’t bothered in the slightest, but amused by her wife’s reaction.

“Like you wouldn’t.”

“I didn’t say that, but he’s incredibly manipulative like that.”

“Our nearly two-year-old grandson, diabolical mastermind.” Bernie slides down into the bed, “it will  _ force _ us to sleep though. We’re riding together, aren’t we?”

Serena hums her approval, “in not too early and not too late. Might even have time for a nice coffee and a pastry.”

“Sounds like a dream.” Bernie smirks, noticing how Cole does his best to hold onto the both of them, or at least make sure he’s touching each of them as he tries to soothe himself back to sleep. Head rests against his Nan while holding onto his Gran’s arm. Coffee and a pastry might be nice, but  _ this _ was the real dream for her.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ryan makes up with his mother-in-law.
> 
> Serena leans she needs time for herself with a little help from Bernie.

Through a day of many congratulations and people saying they had watched Charlotte on the television the day before or picked up her book, news of the attack after the interview had reached tabloids. Things Serena and Bernie Wolfe did their best to keep from their unit. Whether it be intrusive journalists, inquisitive nursing staff, or patients who innocently recognize them from photographs in Charlotte’s book or various documentaries about the attacks that aired the day prior and would subsequently be on the television for the week or so to come.

Flopping into her office chair, Serena exhales slowly, leaning her head back with her eyes closed. It isn’t a moment or two later until she hears a knock against the door. “Five minutes!” She calls out, “I only need five minutes, please.” There were some obscenities she wanted to throw in there, but thought against it. Hearing the keypad accessed, she sighs heavily as the door opens anyway, “I said five bloody minutes!” She lifts her head, glaring at the young man staring there, “are you suddenly hard of hearing?”

“I come bearing a gift.” Ryan closes the door behind himself, “a peace offering, an olive branch.”

“I have every urge to break your metaphorical olive branch over my knee.” When he places the incredibly expensive bottle of shiraz on her desk, Serena sighs heavily, “plead your case quickly.”

“I know I’m not...your favorite person. Understandably.” He swallows, folding his arms. Ryan doesn’t expect her to respond. “Not to mention you have every right to lower my status as a consultant...”

“I don’t confuse my work life and my home life, Mr. Anand, I know which is the important one.”

Ryan nods a little, licking his lips. The room falls silent as he takes a seat on the sofa across from her, “you know...the nights when Cole stays round ours, I...I go in his room and I watch him sleep. I think about...when you all were in...” He doesn’t say the name of the domestic terrorist attack, knowing they’d both heard it enough times before. “I remember staff telling me there was a baby brought up. Most of the children had gone off to St. James since their children’s unit is a bit bigger than ours. Able to take on more people.” 

Serena realizes she’s never heard this story and lifts her head to better watch him, “they’ve a children’s ED section there.”

He nods absently, “I went over to this curtain, the...overhead light was turned off, but it’s my very active unit, I didn’t really...understand.” Ryan swallows, “and I saw Cole there and the Major.” He pauses, “and I’d never seen her...so scared. I doubt I ever will again.” Another pauses, “I hope I never will again.” Ryan bites his lip, “it was at that moment that...I realized what true love was. It was...more than just falling head over heels for someone and wanting to spend every waking hour with them, I already had that. It was...fear of losing them...and being unable to do anything about it.”

She reaches down to the lower right drawer of her desk, gently tugging it open. Serena removes two glasses she always kept within for the end of her shift, placing them on her desktop. She motions to the bottle he had just brought, “open it.”

Ryan leans forward, obtaining the glass bottle. He carefully starts dislodging the cork, “and it seems like forever ago, but...it wasn’t.” He shakes his head a little, “things just...happened fast between Char and I. I don’t regret any of it, but...I don’t know what I’m doing either. I want to do right by her and the kids...give them everything they need. A house she can do whatever she wants in and space for our beautiful children to grow.” He smiles softly to himself, “I’m not...really father material though. I’m a consultant...and it’s what I do best.”

“You don’t get to choose when you’re going to be a parent, not really.” Serena shakes her head slowly, “that’s not how the world works. Sometimes the cosmos has other plans for us. Different plans than what we saw for ourselves.”

“I know.” He finally wiggles the cork free, standing to pour the wine into each glass.

“And things don’t always work the way we expect them to.” Serena answers quietly, “that still doesn’t explain why you’ve been virtually absent from your wife.” She raises a sharp eyebrow, “running off to fulfill an occasional craving indulgence while she was pregnant is nice and all, but...she needs you. All of you.” Serena takes a sip of the wine, moaning softly at the taste. “Do you love her, Ryan?”

“More than anything.” Ryan places the cork back into the bottle, taking his own glass and returning to his seat on the sofa.

“Do you regret marrying her?” When her son-in-law shakes his head negatively, Serena continues, “then what the hell are you doing? Why are you sabotaging yourself?”

“I don’t want to disappoint her. I don’t want her to realize she made the mistake in marrying me.”

“I don’t think she did though.” Serena sighs heavily, taking a moment before she continues, “Bernie and I, even after being together for as long as we have and...truly withstanding the test of time, are still learning things about one another. We’re still better ourselves for one another.” She offers, “you and I married these Wolfe women. Mine showed virtually no emotion, and yours shows all of them.”

Ryan begins to chuckle, taking a sip of his wine. He makes a face, then downs it quickly before placing the glass back on her desk. “Don’t know how you drink this stuff.”

“As often as I can.” Serena teases in return. She takes a moment before she returns to their line of discussion, “if you truly love Charlotte, Ryan, you need to be upfront with her. You need to be present for her and the children.” She abstractly waves her hand, signifying the hospital as a whole, “This place doesn’t matter. Twenty years from now, do you think your boys are going to be talking about Holby City Hospital?” Serena shakes her head, “no, they’ll be talking about how they wish they had more time spent with their father as they grew up.”

“I don’t know how to-”

“You learn. You have to make mistakes before you learn from them.” Serena offers, “and you’re walking a very thin rope at the moment. Did you ever get back home last night?”

Ryan shakes his head negatively, “patient came in having swallowed battery acid.” When his mother-in-law appears appalled, he continues, “managed to get a nine-volt battery open somehow and bottoms up it went.” He shakes his head, “I wouldn’t recommend it...he’ll probably have lasting damage.”

“Probably?” Serena sighs softly, “and I thought we got the odd ones.”

“Seven years old.” He explains, “he had a previous pika diagnosis and autism. His mother said he always goes to batteries, and usually they’re able to catch him, but...” Ryan shakes his head negatively, falling quiet for a moment before continuing, “I have days like that and I don’t...I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to think about it. I’m met with a wife happy to see me and asking how my day went, but...I don’t want to answer her. I don’t want to talk about any of that.” He licks his lips, “I just want to hold onto her and sleep.”

“You need to figure out how to separate the two, Ryan.”

“How do you?”

“I work with my wife.” Serena smirks.

“Yeah, exactly.” Ryan nods, “and I want to hear about the kids and all the stuff they did, but...I definitely didn’t want to talk about kids drinking battery acid or...dying on my table.”

“So tell her that.” Serena shrugs, “you think this is a bigger deal than it is.”

“Being unable to communicate with my wife is a big deal to me.”

“Stop thinking so much.” She takes another sip of her wine, “let the pieces fall as they may.” When Serena notices the younger man nod in understanding, she continues, “Charlotte stayed round ours last night...asked to stay over for a while. So...don’t be surprised if she isn’t home when you get there.”

Ryan’s face falls, though he does his best to maintain his composure, knowing he needs to get out of this office in order to do that. “I’ll leave you to it then, Director.” He moves to the door, giving her a curt nod before taking his leave.

Serena sighs, leaning forward and pouring herself another glass of the expensive wine. Glad to finally have a few moments to herself, she thinks of even turning on some music, but decides against it. Leaning her head back again, her eyes closed. She isn’t trying to sleep or anything like that, but just to relax for a few moments. It doesn’t last long, however, until she hears the sound of someone punching the code into the keypad, letting themselves in. “I just wanted five bloody minutes.”

“Oh, well, I can head to-”

Serena lifts her head, seeing her wife standing there. “Don’t you dare.” She exhales slowly, “would you be terribly upset if I cut out early today?”

“Course not.” Bernie offers her a concerned smile, “everything okay?”

“I’m just having a hard time today, is all.” She licks her lips, offering her wife her glass, “care for a sip?”

“Not while on the job.” She edges a seat against Serena’s desk, watching her. “Do you want to talk about what’s bothering you?”

“Not particularly.” Serena replies quietly, but can feel her wife’s eyes set on her, “I was asked several times if I was  _ the one that the girl mentioned in the book _ . Then I was asked if I was...well enough to actually tend to patients.”

“I had someone ask for my autograph.” Bernie nods, “people asking if I was really in medical school textbooks.” She seems amused by it all, “I mean, I am, but so are you.”

“I am not.”

“You are. Cameron showed me. You have a few mentions in his vascular health studies book.” Bernie keeps watching her wife, “did you truly not know?” When the silver haired woman shakes her head negatively, “we’re both incredibly talented in our fields. It’s a no-brainer you’d appear in a book such as that.”

  
“If you say so.” Serena takes another sip of her wine.

Bernie leans down, softly capturing her wife’s lips in a kiss. “You should have taken the bottle home instead of opening it here.” 

“If you plan to shame me over-”

“I’m not shaming you.” Bernie stands, moving around to her own desk, “the blinds are open, staff and patients are able to see into our office throughout the day. If they see you downing glass after glass of shiraz in the mid-afternoon, they’re going to begin questioning whether or not you were intoxicated while rendering treatment.” She lowers herself to her seat, leaning forward to wiggle the mouse to her computer a little in order to wake the machine, “you’re smarter than that.”

Serena tilts her head to the side, licking her lips, “you think I drink too much.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“You didn’t need to.” She sighs softly, “I have my vices and you have yours, Berenice.”

Bernie stands, moving around the office to finally close the blinds, “We do a pretty good job at keeping work and home separate from one another. Great job, actually.” She nods, returning to edge against her wife’s desk, “but this all goes back to last night, you know.” Bernie studies her wife, “if you can’t numb the pain with sex, you usually attempt to numb the pain with alcohol.”

“It’s just wine.” Serena sits back, gazing up to her wife’s face.

“And you’re going to continue to drink once you get home...if you leave early.”

“I really don’t want an argument right now.”

“Neither do I.” Bernie shakes her head, “but I need you to realize what you’re doing.” Her eyes show legitimate concern, “a glass or two at the end of a stressful night or a single glass during lunch is one thing, but you and I both know that you’ll finish this bottle today.” She pauses, “where did it come from, anyway? That’s not your usual brand.”

“Ryan brought it as a peace offering.” Serena smirks a little to herself, “trying to butter me up.”

  
“May not have been butter, but he’s certainly lubricated you.” Bernie nods toward the other empty, yet obviously used, wine glass.

Serena snorts a little, amused by her wife's unintentional phrasing gaffe, “not exactly something I’d like to think on.” 

"How did it go?" Bernie gently touches her fingers across Serena's hand as if requesting her permission to display affection, smiling softly when the other woman turns her hand over to take hold. "I don't see any blood splatters anywhere, so I'm assuming it wasn't all that bad."

"I simply told him that he needs to try harder." Serena explains, "he seemed unaware that she asked to stay with us for a bit. I reckon it was probably a bit of a wakeup call to him."

"You handled like a champ. I'm proud of you." Bernie watches her, “not only for not ripping our son-in-law to shreds, but...for handling today as well as you have.” She smiles, “not only the intrusive questions, but...just being here as a whole. I’d have taken the week if I were you.”

“I only just returned a few months ago.”

“That doesn’t matter. We’d handle things.” Bernie shakes her head, “and caring for yourself is way more important than you’re giving credit to.”

Serena nods slowly, finishing her glass and setting it on her desk. “You’re right.”

“I often am.” She notices her wife beginning to smile again. Bernie leans down once more and gives her wife a more tender kiss this time, “are you taking the car?”

“Yeah, I’ll come and get you later.” Serena stands, leaning in and kissing her wife again, wrapping her arms around her. “I’ll head home and give the smaller ones a bit of a cuddle. Reckon it might help.” She won’t finish that by saying  _ instead of guzzling wine _ , but it’s an unspoken thing between them. “Thank you for understanding.”

“Thank you for depending on me for a change.” Bernie smiles against her wife’s lips, eagerly taking another kiss from her. She’d move heaven and earth for Serena, helping her better herself was the very least she could do. “You’ll be okay...even if it seems unlikely at the moment.” Holding onto her partner, she takes a minute before speaking again, “there was a man who wasn’t really paying attention while out on a walk and fell into this hole in the street. The walls are far too steep and he isn’t able to climb out on his own. He looks up, sees a priest walking by and asks for help. Priest says a prayer and continues on. The man sees a doctor walk by, again he asks for help. Doctor writes a prescription and tosses it down the hole, and again continues on. Finally, luckily, he sees his friend walk by and asks for a hand. The friend jumps down in the hole with him. The man says, ‘ _ the hell are you doing? Now we’re both stuck down here.’ _ The friend smiles and says-”

“Yeah, but I’ve been down here before and I know the way out.” Serena had heard the story before, usually in pep talks from Bernie to her children. “I trust you, Berenice.”

“Well, that’s good because we’re married, see...”

Serena begins to beam, warmed when her wife reciprocates her expression. “Yes, we are.”

“Be here once Ric is due to arrive. Maybe we’ll head to dinner if we’re up for it then?” Bernie offers, glad when her wife nods. “Message me when you arrive home, won’t you?” She releases the hold she has on Serena, letting the woman move about the room, collecting her things. “Campbell...”

“I will.” Hand on the doorknob, Serena turns her head to look to her wife again, the space falling quiet around them as they gaze at one another, “I love you, Berenice.” Seeing her wife’s blush makes the sudden term of endearment worth it. She doesn’t wait for her wife’s response before quickly opening the door and taking her leave.


End file.
